Friday, March 9, 2012

The 100th anniversary of Girl Scouting has prompted alumnae from all over the nation to reconnect, re-register and recite their favorite Girl Scout memories. Here in the Sacramento area, one group—spanning in age from 23 to 79—sets out on a trip to the birthplace of Girl Scouts during the 100th anniversary weekend. Stay tuned as they share with us their fun experiences and discoveries. (And be sure to look for the Poppy Patrol Pop Trivia in each post.)

We are the “Poppy Patrol!” We are eight grateful Girl Scout Alumnae in one family. We are three generations with fond memories of Girl Scouting going back to the 1940s. For several years, we have been planning a pilgrimage to Savannah, Georgia for the 100th birthday of Girl Scouting. Now the time has come!

We are packing our songbooks, our 104s (a bandana with 104 uses!), special new T-shirts, our walking shoes and all other things that well-prepared Girl Scouts need for adventure. We will travel on Friday, March 9.

We will be coming from three directions to connect in historic Savannah. Noel and Jasmine will drive in from Atlanta. Holly will fly from Los Angeles. The other five, Georgia, Becky, Lisa, Amy and Carissa, will fly together from Sacramento.

On Friday, the 9th, after we settle in at our hotel in the historic district, we plan to see the city then have an investiture and rededication ceremony together. Carissa is a newly-registered Girl Scout, so we anticipate the joy of her investiture in the city where it all began 100 years ago. The rest of us are lifelong Girl Scouts who will rededicate ourselves to all that Girl Scouting has been for us and will be for girls now and in the future. This will involve singing, Girl Scout-style! We know all the traditional songs!

The weekend plans include participation in Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia Council’s two big events: the “Bridging to the Next Century” on Saturday the 10th, and the sunrise celebration on the 12th. In between, we will be up for adventures seeing the sights of Savannah and Girl Scout history.

An elder honorary member of the patrol will be with us in spirit and memories. Our beloved matriarch in the family and a Girl Scout since the 1940s, Josephine “Tajar” Gardner, died in 1971. (Tajar was her camp name.) We honor her memory by counting her in as the spiritual leader of the Poppy Patrol!

We will be sharing more with you in the days ahead. Happy Birthday, Girl Scouts!

Respectfully submitted by Becky Goodwin

Poppy Patrol Pop Trivia Question #1: What were the two custom-cultivated flowers Girl Scouts planted all over the U.S. in honor of Girl Scouts’ 50th anniversary in 1962? (Answer to be revealed in the next Poppy Patrol post.)

Josephine “Tajar” Gardner, Program Director at Girl Scout Camp Sugarpine (San Francisco-area council) in the 1940s. The camp name “Tajar” comes from the title character in Tajar Tales, original stories by Jane Shaw Ward published in 1925 for YWCA camps. A “tajar” is a composite tiger, jaguar and badger. Tajar has adventures in the forest near a camp, and sometimes his antics get him into trouble. In camps, Tajar tales were told around campfires, and “evidence” of the presence of Tajar would sometimes appear around camp, delighting campers.

Holly Myer, Becky’s daughter. At age 14 in 2002, she was a member of the Girl Scout Chorus from Tierra del Oro Council for the 90th birthday celebration at Arco Arena.

Jasmine Stamps, Noel’s daughter, 1996.

Some of the Poppy Patrol at the Sacramento Program Center this year.(Poppy Patroller Carissa Luker, Amy’s daughter, has no previous Girl Scout photos, but she will be invested as a Girl Scout when the Poppy Patrol unites in Savannah.)